On Thursday 8th July 2021, the Governors approved a new Vision, Mission and Values statement for the school. This document is the product of much work, prayer, and reflection. Part of the mission statement reads ‘to form young men of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment’
The 4Cs of ‘competence, conscience, compassion and commitment’ will form the basis of our work and the guiding principles of our policies. We have also written a school prayer based upon a traditional prayer to St Cuthbert but adapted to reflect our vision as a school. This refocus of our Vision, Mission and Values as a Catholic community aims to help us to continue to improve the school to help the young men in our care become the best version of themselves so that they can take their rightful place in the Church and in the world. Our school motto, Quies in Caelo translates as Rest in heaven or ‘there is rest in heaven’. Perhaps it can be seen as an imperative ‘Rest in Heaven!’, as there is plenty of work to be done on earth.
Vision
To be a premier Catholic learning community for the 21st century, preparing young men to witness to Christ and so create a world of justice, peace, truth and love.
Mission
St Cuthbert’s Catholic High School is a community gathered together by God, to form fine young men of integrity who will live according to the pattern of life given to us by Jesus Christ. We will strive, through dedication to academic excellence and the formation of the whole person, to form young men of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment, who, educated in faith and for justice, will live their lives in the service of others.
Values
- Faith – to give boys of all faiths and none, a profound, life-changing experience that focuses on God’s unconditional love and a deeper understanding of themselves as persons of faith and confidence in themselves.
- Catholic Spirituality– to root students in the Catholic faith and the rich diverse spirituality of the Catholic tradition To focus on loving service to God and neighbour. To discover and share one’s gifts and talents with the world.
- Formation of the Whole Person– to thoughtfully and intentionally integrate the fullness of human experience through spiritual, intellectual, emotional, social and physical development.
- A World Affirming Perspective– to provide a spiritual dimension which sees creation as good. To promote a dialogue between faith and culture, which fosters the capacity for critical and original thinking. To appreciate the gifts of life.
- Diversity– to create and sustain a vibrant, inclusive community reflecting the expansive demographics and rich mixture of Newcastle’s population.
- Scholarship– to build a culture of lifelong learning and inquiry through a rigorous and innovative Catholic curriculum.
- Service– to be informed by a faith that does justice. To challenge our boys to be “Men for and with Others.” To be in companionship with –and learning from – the disenfranchised, the marginalized and the most in need. To serve as Jesus did.
- Leadership– to develop young men who are compassionate, intellectually distinguished and morally courageous. To create young men of integrity who become effective “agents of change” for the world.
- Motto - Quies in Caelo (Rest in heaven) The motto is believed to have been the episcopal motto of Bishop John William Bewick (Bishop of Hexham & Newcastle, 1882-1886)
- Prayer: Ever living God, who did call your servant Cuthbert to proclaim the Gospel in northern England and gave him a loving heart and gentle spirit: Grant us grace to live as he did, in simplicity, humility and love for the poor. Grant us also the grace to become people of competence, conscience, compassion, and commitment, so that we might give our lives, as our patron did, in the service of others. Amen
